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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Zhiwei Zeng, Chunyan Miao, Cyril Leung and Zhiqi Shen

This paper aims to adapt and computerize the Trail Making Test (TMT) to support long-term self-assessment of cognitive abilities.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to adapt and computerize the Trail Making Test (TMT) to support long-term self-assessment of cognitive abilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a divide-and-combine (DAC) approach for generating different instances of TMT that can be used in repeated assessments with nearly no discernible practice effects. In the DAC approach, partial trails are generated separately in different layers and then combined to form a complete TMT trail.

Findings

The proposed approach was implemented in a computerized test application called iTMT. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate iTMT. The results show that the instances of TMT generated by the DAC approach had an adequate level of difficulty. iTMT also achieved a stronger construct validity, higher test–retest reliability and significantly reduced practice effects than existing computerized tests.

Originality/value

The preliminary results suggest that iTMT is suitable for long-term monitoring of cognitive abilities. By supporting self-assessment, iTMT also can help to crowdsource the assessment processes, which need to be administered by healthcare professionals conventionally, to the patients themselves.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 June 2017

Xinjia Yu, Chunyan Miao, Cyril Leung and Charles Thomas Salmon

The parent-child relationship is important to the solidarity of families and the emotional well-being of family members. Since people are more dependent on their close social…

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Abstract

Purpose

The parent-child relationship is important to the solidarity of families and the emotional well-being of family members. Since people are more dependent on their close social relationships as they age, understanding the quality of relationships between aged parents and their adult children is a critical topic. Previous research shows that this relationship is complicated with both kinship and ambivalence. However, there is little research on the causes of this complexity. This paper proposes a role model to explain this complexity by studying the leadership transition within a family as the child grows.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, we proposed a novel perception to understand this transition process and explain related problems based on the analysis of the leader-follower relationship between the parents and their children.

Findings

When a child is born, his/her parents become the leader of this family because of their abilities, responsibilities and the requirements of the infant. This leader-follower role structure will last a long time in this family. Decades later, when the parents become old and the child grows up, the inter-generational contracts within the family and the requirement of each members change. This transition weakens the foundation of the traditional leader-follower role structure within the family. If either the parent or the child does not want to accept their new roles, both of them will suffer and struggle in this relationship. This role conflict will cause ambivalence in the relationship between aged parents and their adult children.

Originality/value

Based on the quantitative study model provided in this paper, we can moderate the relationships between aged parents and their adult children. This effort is meaningful in enhancing the quality of life and emotional wellbeing for senior citizens.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 January 2019

Ida Ayu Putu Widani Sugianingrat, Sapta Rini Widyawati, Carla Alexandra de Jesus da Costa, Mateus Ximenes, Salustiano Dos Reis Piedade and Wayan Gede Sarmawa

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of ethical leadership on employee performance, with the employee engagement and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of ethical leadership on employee performance, with the employee engagement and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as mediating variables.

Design/methodology/approach

The design of this study was to ascertain the predictive generalizations truth of the theory. The population in this study was all employees of non-star hotels in Sarbagita area of Bali.

Findings

First, ethical leadership does not have a significant effect on employee performance, where the increase in leadership value is not able to provide a significant improvement in the performance of non-star hotel employees in the Sarbagita area of Bali. Second, employee engagement is able to mediate ethical leadership in improving employee performance. Third, the OCB will be able to play a role in mediating the influence of ethical leadership on employee performance if it passes the mediating role of employee engagement first.

Originality/value

The inconsistencies of the previous study results provide evidence and opportunities for this study to review by including mediating variables on ethical leadership and employee performance relationship. The studied variable as a mediating variable is employee engagement. In addition to employee engagement, this study also included the OCB variable as a mediating variable. Several previous studies have identified the influence of ethical leadership, employee engagement and OCB in improving employee performance in separate research models, so there is still a gap for further research.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 68 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2016

Hiram Ting, Ernest Cyril de Run, Jun-Hwa Cheah and Francis Chuah

The purpose of this paper is to serve as groundwork to investigate the determinants of ethnic food consumption intention in the context of developing markets. Using the theory of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to serve as groundwork to investigate the determinants of ethnic food consumption intention in the context of developing markets. Using the theory of planned behaviour as the underlying basis, it is aimed to explain the effect of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behaviour control on consumption intention towards Dayak food. Since Dayak food is relatively unfamiliar compared to conventional food in Malaysia, food neophobia is incorporated into the model so as to assess its moderation effect on every postulated relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach via self-administered questionnaire was adopted. In all, 300 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to non-Dayak Malaysians, and 211 usable copies were subsequently collected, suggesting that non-response bias was not a major issue. A post hoc Harman single-factor analysis was also performed to ensure the variance in the data was not explained by one single factor, thus addressing the common method bias. Structural equation modelling using partial least squares approach was then utilized to assess the relationships of variables under investigation and the moderation effect of food neophobia.

Findings

After ensuring the data have acceptable reliability and validity, structural model assessment was performed to test the hypotheses. The findings show that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control all have positive effect on consumption intention of non-Dayak Malaysians towards Dayak food. However, food neophobia is only found to have a moderation effect on the relationship between subjective norm and consumption intention.

Research limitations/implications

First, the sample is largely consisted of college and university students in Malaysia who are believed to be more daring to try new things, including new food. Second and more importantly, the dearth of literature and empirical studies on Dayak food and ethnic food in Malaysia might have actually pointed to the limitation in using only quantitative questionnaire in the study. As salient beliefs are the antecedents in the theory of planned behaviour, knowing consumers’ specific beliefs about Dayak food would have provided a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of consumption intention and the moderating effect of food neophobia.

Practical implications

The moderation effect of food neophobia on the relationship between subjective norm and consumption intention towards Dayak food implies the importance of recommendations and favourable word-of-mouth from the significant ones, such as family members and peers, to make people willing to try and consume it. This corresponds to earlier findings pertaining to the collectivistic culture in Malaysia. Unlike countries with individualistic cultures, Malaysians tend to conform to the consumption choices of significant others. This implies that those whom they hold in high regard, are able to influence them both positively and negatively through their advice or opinions.

Originality/value

The present study has not only extended the use of theory of planned behaviour in the context of Dayak food consumption intention in a developing country, but it has also deepened the theory by incorporating food neophobia as the moderator to provide additional theoretical explanation to ethnic food consumption intention. Given the wealth of Asian culture, and its significant role in the global marketplace, the understanding of ethnic food consumption intention of the local and foreign consumers using the extended theory of planned behaviour would contribute knowledge not only to consumer behaviour, but also to food and service industry and tourism.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 118 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 January 2013

Gurvinder S. Shergill, Harjit Sekhon and Min Zhao

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the cultural assimilation influence on family purchase decision making of Chinese immigrant families in New Zealand, and in Chinese…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the cultural assimilation influence on family purchase decision making of Chinese immigrant families in New Zealand, and in Chinese families living in China.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 200 respondents. In total, 100 families have been chosen from each of these countries. The data were collected by the snowball sampling method across 11 different products and four decision-making stages.

Findings

The results of this research show that cultural assimilation does have an influence on parental perceptions of teen's influence on family decision making. Chinese immigrants' teenage children in New Zealand were perceived as having more influence within the family than their peers in Chinese families living in China.

Research limitations/implications

The research used a sample size of only 100 respondents from each country. Furthermore, it used snowball sampling and mid-income group families only.

Practical implications

These findings help marketers to gain a better understanding of the influence of cultural assimilation, and use specific marketing communication and promotion strategies.

Originality/value

The paper empirically demonstrates that Chinese parents living in China and Chinese immigrant parents living in New Zealand perceive their children's involvement in family purchase decision differently. Chinese immigrant parents perceive that their children are becoming assimilated with New Zealand culture. This is the first ever study done on Chinese Immigrant families living in New Zealand and Chinese families living in China by collecting and using the cross-culture data from New Zealand and China.

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2018

Dheeraj Sharma and Satyendra Singh

Culture is one of the critical variables in explaining consumer behavior and consumer response to external stimuli. The purpose of this paper is to delineate the relationship…

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Abstract

Purpose

Culture is one of the critical variables in explaining consumer behavior and consumer response to external stimuli. The purpose of this paper is to delineate the relationship between deal proneness and culture. Specifically, this paper examines the relationship between Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, namely, power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity and uncertainty avoidance, and deal proneness. Additionally, the role of store image as a moderator between culture and deal proneness is explored. Finally, the paper offers prescriptive and descriptive insights for marketers to consider cultural perspectives when promoting products internationally. A clear understanding of cultural influences on deal proneness will allow marketers to target specific customer segments more accurately.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected data from consumers in shopping malls in USA, Thailand, and Kenya. The authors analyzed the data using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The authors found that societies with a high femininity index are more likely to respond to deals than masculine societies. An inverse relationship between the Power Distance Index (PDI) and deal proneness may exist, suggesting that societies with a high PDI may be less deal prone. The authors found that individualism index is positively related to deal proneness, and thus societies with a low individualism index should be more deal prone. Finally, individuals in high uncertainty avoidance countries are expected to exhibit low deal prone tendencies.

Research limitations/implications

The study utilized a sample from cities. Consequently, future studies may attempt to validate the relationship posited in this study by utilizing non-urban data. Additionally, the authors look at stores in a mall. Thus, there is a possibility of interaction between mall image and store image. It may be useful to validate the findings of this study by using data from stand alone stores and also examine the interaction effect of mall image and store image on the deal proneness in a given culture.

Practical implications

This study suggests that appropriate store selection for offering deals can possibly augment the effectiveness of deal-based promotions. Specifically, choice of store can alter the context, and thus the perception of the value proposition could increase, which in turn is likely to increase the acceptance of deal-based promotion.

Originality/value

Although several researchers have also examined differences in consumer behavior across cultures yet it appears that there is no direct study that examines the effects of cultural differences on deal proneness using data from three countries (USA, Thailand, and Kenya) which are diverse on all dimensions of national culture. This paper examines the influence of national culture on individual’s propensity to exhibit deal proneness. Furthermore, the paper examines the role of store image on the relationship between national culture and deal proneness.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 35 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2018

Fayiz Dahash Shrafat

The potential for the adoption of a knowledge management system (KMS) is becoming a crucial matter in small and medium enterprises (SMEs); however, there is a scarcity of studies…

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Abstract

Purpose

The potential for the adoption of a knowledge management system (KMS) is becoming a crucial matter in small and medium enterprises (SMEs); however, there is a scarcity of studies related to KMS adoption in SMEs. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to advance further our understanding of the factors that influence the KMS adoption process among SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

The collected sample size was 247 respondents. For statistical analysis, Smart partial least square (PLS) (a structural model-based tool) was used to build, run and validate the process model. PLS regression techniques were used to analyze the latent constructs. Smart PLS exhibits both the measurement model and the structural model.

Findings

The results indicate that knowledge management capabilities, knowledge sharing, organizational learning capabilities and IT capabilities are the significant factors which influence KMS adoption. This study also identifies some unexpected results.

Research limitations/implications

The number of responses obtained from the survey was rather small. However, a larger number of responses would probably have resulted in a more accurate finding. Additionally, this study should be verified via a larger sample to increase its generalization.

Practical implications

The result of this study will provide SMEs with valuable guidelines to better understand what factors should be considered as highly important and thus providing decision makers and managers with valuable insights to increase the adoption level of KMSs.

Originality/value

The study addresses the research gap by developing and empirically validating a research model of KMS adoption from a different perspective that incorporates critical issues which have never been simultaneously examined.

Article
Publication date: 2 June 2023

Zhijiang Wu, Yongxiang Wang and Mengyao Liu

The negative effects of job stress and burnout on construction professionals (CPs) at the construction site have been widely concern in the construction industry. The purpose of…

Abstract

Purpose

The negative effects of job stress and burnout on construction professionals (CPs) at the construction site have been widely concern in the construction industry. The purpose of this study is committed to explore the impact of job stress on CPs on the construction site, especially in the context of the widespread use of social media to express their emotions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study developed a job-related stress-burnout-health conditions-turnover intention (S-B-HT) framework to explore the direct and lagged effects of job stress, we also examined the moderating effects of online emotions, operationalized in terms of emotional intensity and expression pattern, on the relationship between job stress with job burnout under two evolution paths (i.e. health conditions or turnover intention). This study collected 271 samples through a survey questionnaire for empirical testing, and introduced structural equation models to validate the proposed conceptual model.

Findings

The results show that job stress has a significant positive effect on job burnout, and job burnout maintains a positive relationship with health conditions (or turnover intention) under the interference mechanism. Simultaneously, the online emotions expressed in social media have a positive moderating effect in two stages of the evolution path.

Practical implications

The findings of this study remind the project manager need to timely find and solve the job burnout characteristics of CPs due to excessive job stress, especially to prevent the accidental consequences caused by job burnout.

Originality/value

On this basis, this study provides an important value of using social media to express emotions for the project team to alleviate the adverse of professionals under job stress.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Muhammad Mohsin Butt, Ernest Cyril de-Run, Ammen U-Din and Dilip Mutum

This paper aims to examine the impact of increasing the intensity of religious cues in financial service advertisements on target and non-target groups.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of increasing the intensity of religious cues in financial service advertisements on target and non-target groups.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the proposed hypotheses, a 2 (Religion: Muslims versus Non-Muslims) x 3 (Religious identity primes: Low versus Medium versus High) factorial design was used. Both target and non-target groups were randomly exposed to factitious advertisements of an Islamic bank embedded with low, medium and high intensity of religious cues.

Findings

The results of this study indicate that within target group the manipulation did result into a more favourable attitudes towards the advertisement (Aad) and attitudes towards the brand (Ab) for the medium intensity advertisement; however, for high intensity advertisement, only Aad was more favourable compared to low intensity advertisement. Relatively strong evidence was found in case of non-target group negative reactions in term of Aad, Ab and purchase intention. The direct comparison between target and non-target groups suggest a general pattern of more positive response from target group as compared to non-target group.

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide an important insight into the effectiveness of identity salience messages in financial service marketing. The study provide empirical evidence that intensifying the rhetoric beyond a certain point will generate negative results from both target and non-target respondents.

Originality/value

The authors integrated the research on symbolism, social identity and target and non-target effects to analyse the attitudinal and behavioural differences between and within target and non-target groups of financial service advertisements with different intensity of religious cues.

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2019

Rosintansafinas Munir and Loo-See Beh

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the organizational creative climate, knowledge sharing and innovative work behavior in startups development. This study also…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the organizational creative climate, knowledge sharing and innovative work behavior in startups development. This study also aims to discover the R square, predictive relevance and effect size of the developed model.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative method was used, and a total of 352 usable questionnaires were collected from employees at startups particularly in services sector in Malaysia. The structural equation was developed to explain the complicated relationship between organizational creative climate, knowledge sharing and innovative work behavior. The results of hypothesis were analyzed using structural equation modeling – partial least square (SEM-PLS) test.

Findings

The results indicate that organizational creative climate significantly influence innovative work behavior (H1), organizational climate positively affects knowledge sharing (H2) and knowledge sharing significantly influence innovative work behavior (H3). In addition, the results also show that the R square values of innovative work behavior is weak (R2 = 0.067), while the predictive relevance value demonstrating the model has sufficient predictive relevance. Further, the results of effect size show medium effect for organizational creative climate and knowledge, while the remaining indicates small effect size.

Practical implications

This study provides a comprehensible and clear understanding on how organizational creative climate and knowledge sharing play important role in fostering the individual innovative work behavior in Malaysian startups.

Originality/value

Research on the significance of organizational creative climate, knowledge sharing and to innovative work behavior particularly in the startups context has not been sufficiently explored. This study shed new light to the startups eco-system stakeholders in stimulating individual innovative work behavior through the practices of sharing information as well as the creative climate and innovative elements in the entrepreneurial activities.

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